Daniel Kwan (, born February 10, 1988) and Daniel Scheinert (born June 7, 1987), known collectively as the Daniels, are an American filmmaking duo. They began their career by directing music videos, including "Houdini" (2012) by Foster the People and "Turn Down for What" (2013) by DJ Snake and Lil Jon, both of which earned them Grammy Award nominations.
They wrote and directed the absurdist comedy-dramas Swiss Army Man (2016) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). The latter became A24's then-highest-grossing film, and won the duo many awards, including Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Best Picture | 95th Oscars (2023)'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Best Directing | 95th Oscars (2023)'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Best Original Screenplay | 95th Oscars (2023)
Early lives and education Daniel M. Kwan was born in Westborough, Massachusetts to a Taiwanese mother and a father from Hong Kong. He attended Westborough High School and graduated in 2006.
Daniel Scheinert was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Becky and Ken Scheinert. He attended Oak Mountain Elementary and Middle School, and graduated from Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School in 2004.
Kwan and Scheinert met while studying film at Emerson College in Boston. Kwan graduated in 2010 and Scheinert graduated in 2009.
Careers
Music videos The Daniels went to college with Sunita Mani, who starred with Kwan in the music video for "Turn Down for What", which they directed.
Since 2011, the duo have directed music videos for artists including Foster the People, the Shins and Tenacious D. In 2018, Kwan co-founded the group We Direct Music Videos (W.D.M.V.), described as "a global community of music video directors who are committed to sustainable directorial labor practices".
Transition to film and television In 2016, the duo expanded to feature films, writing and directing their feature directorial debut Swiss Army Man, starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, which received positive reviews, as well as the duo winning the Directing Award at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. In 2019, Scheinert directed the black comedy-drama film The Death of Dick Long, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews.
The Daniels have since accumulated several television directing credits, including Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Legion (Kwan only) and On Becoming a God in Central Florida (Scheinert only). The duo were attached as directors on a prospective TV adaption of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, being developed by Noah Hawley, but the project was not picked up.
The Daniels directed one episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024).
Everything Everywhere All at Once The Daniels announced in 2017 they would write, direct, and produce a science-fiction film with their producing partner Jonathan Wang and the Russo brothers. Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis, was released in March 2022 to widespread critical acclaim and box office success, garnering several awards and accolades for the duo including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director at the 95th Academy Awards. The film received 11 Academy Award nominations, more than any other film that year, and won seven. Prior to the Oscars ceremony, IGN calculated that Everything Everywhere All at Once had surpassed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) as the most awarded film of all time.
Upcoming projects , the Daniels have signed a first look TV deal with A24. The same year, they also signed a five-year film deal with Universal Pictures.
The duo were on the Time 100 Next list in 2022.
In February 2024, it was announced that the Daniels' next feature film was scheduled to release on June 12, 2026. The following year it was announced that the film had been delayed to an unspecified date after Universal Pictures confirmed that Steven Spielberg's then-untitled Disclosure Day would release on that date.
In June 2025, it was announced that the Daniels would produce a "high-concept comedy" written and potentially directed by Paul Dano for Universal Pictures.
It was reported that their next film would begin shooting in Los Angeles in the summer of 2026, and star Matt Damon. The film, which takes influence from the tokusatsu genre, has the working title of "Thasnagar", and is also set to star Sandra Oh and Charles Melton.
Personal lives Kwan has been married to fellow filmmaker and animator Kirsten Lepore since 2016, and together they have one son. He was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after researching the condition for Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Filmography Short film YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes 2009 Swingers 2010 Puppets 2011 My Best Friend's Wedding/My Best Friend's Sweating 2014 Possibilia 2014 Interesting Ball 2020 Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia Segments
Scheinert only YearTitleDirectorWriter 2007 I'm Nostalgic 2008 Trust
Feature film YearTitleDirectorWriterProducer 2016 Swiss Army Man 2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once 2027 Thasnagar (working title)
Scheinert only YearTitleDirectorProducerNotes 2019 The Death of Dick Long Also portrayed Dick Long;Also performed "It's Been Awhile"
Television YearTitleEpisode2013NTSF:SD:SUV:: "Comic Con Air" "Wreck the Malls" Childrens Hospital "Coming and Going" Infomercials "Broomshakalaka!" 2020 Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens "Grandma & Chill" 2024 Star Wars: Skeleton Crew "Can't Say I Remember No At Attin"
Kwan only YearTitleEpisode 2019 Legion "Chapter 23"
Scheinert only YearTitleEpisode 2017 Right Now Kapow "Radical Mutants/My Fair Peasant" 2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida "Many Masters"
Music videos YearTitleArtistNotes2010 "Underwear" FM Belfast "Pigeons"The Hundred in the Hands"Commotion"2011 "Simple Math" Manchester Orchestra "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" Foster the People "When the Night Falls" Chromeo (featuring Solange Knowles)2012 "My Machines" Battles "Simple Song" The Shins "Houdini" Foster the People "Rize of the Fenix" Tenacious D 2013 "Cry Like a Ghost" Passion Pit 2014 "Turn Down for What" DJ Snake and Lil Jon "Tongues" Joywave2017 "The Sunshine"Manchester Orchestra "The Alien"
Accolades Year Award Category Work Result 2013Grammy AwardsBest Short Form Music Video"Houdini" 2015Best Music Video"Turn Down for What" 2016 Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Director Swiss Army Man Sundance Film Festival Directing Award Dramatic "Smoke Signals" and "Swiss Army Man" Celebrate June Birthdays - sundance.org2017Independent Spirit Awards Best First Feature 2022Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards Best PictureEverything Everywhere All at Once Best Director Best Screenplay Best Indie Film Saturn Awards Best Fantasy Film Best Writing Gotham Independent Film Awards Best Feature British Independent Film Awards Best InternationalIndependent Film National Board of Review Awards Top Ten Films American Film Institute Awards Top 10 Films of the Year New York Film Critics Online Awards Best Director Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Film Best Director Best Original Screenplay Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Best Director Best Original Screenplay St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Best Action Film Best Comedy Film Best Director Best Original Screenplay Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Best Director Best Screenplay Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Picture Best Director Best Original Screenplay 2023Academy AwardsBest Picture Best Director Best Original Screenplay British Academy Film AwardsBest Film Best Director Best Original Screenplay Golden Globe Awards Best Picture - Musical/Comedy Best Director - Motion Picture Best Screenplay - Motion Picture Gold List Best Director Critics' Choice Movie AwardsBest Picture Best DirectorBest Original ScreenplayBest ComedyDirectors Guild of America AwardsOutstanding Direction-Feature Film Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer Writers Guild of America AwardsBest Original Screenplay Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture–Comedy or Musical Best Original Screenplay Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards Best Picture Best Indie Film Best Director Best Original Screenplay AACTA International Awards Best Film Best Direction Capri Hollywood International Film FestivalBest Original Screenplay Independent Spirit Awards Best Feature Best Director Best Screenplay
See also List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees#Youngest winners for Best Director References
External links
Edgar Wright's interview with Daniels on BFI